You Are The Risk I'll Always Take
by kurlyq7419
Summary: When the A.R.C goes on lockdown, lives are put on the line, and people will never be the same  Possible spoilers for 5x04. Chapter 1 is the set up for what's to come.
1. Chapter 1

Jess sat at her desk starring at the computer screen monitoring all the activity in the A.R.C. and scanning the global satellites looking for anomalies. It had been a quite day so far and Jess really didn't have much to do. Which she thought should be a good thing, no crazy creatures running about and possibly harming innocent people. But Jess, had to admit to herself, she was extremely bored. She had been practicly buried with work ever since Emily's surprising but welcomed return. She had to make sure everyone filed the correct incident reports and that their was not a butterfly effect-like occurrence with Emily's return. Lester had been very strict about that one. But now, everything had been taken care of and she was itching to go find Emily and catch up with her Victorian friend. She flipped through the cctv and located Emily near one of the back labs, probably on her way to go find Matt or Jess could hurry she thought she could probably run interference and steal some girl talk out of Emily before she went off canoodling with Matt, who still insisted he went through the anomaly JUST for the raptor. Everyone knew better, even Emily herself.

So Jess spun quickly in her chair and glanced around the room to see if there was somebody she could snag who could take over for her for just a quick minute or two while she took a break. Normally she could get Connor to do this but, as of late he had been holed up in one of those locked off labs keeping busy with Phillip and not coming to socialize with anyone much. She could see that it took a toll on the team, especially Abby and Jess tried to re-assure her blonde room-mate and friend that all was well, and Connor still loved her. If only Jess could explain to Abby how she would give just about anything to have somebody look at her with half the amount of love Connor had in his eyes when he looked at Abby. But Jess knew that would open a can of worms with Abby about a certain soldier in black who ever since she saved his life from a bomb had kept her at arms length...being the utmost professional. And it slowly drove Jess mad. Ugh, she needed to talk to an outside source who could help her settle her crazy thoughts. She needed to talk to Emily, now.

She spotted a tech, Jack who had been so kind to help her out before. She signaled him over and he asked her how he could be of assistance. She gave him her most pleading look, doe-eyes a go. "Jack, could you just take over here for like 5 minutes? I have to go take care of something really quickly!" She saw him deliberate with himself, probably worried what Lester could possibly do to him if something went was pulling on her pigtail thinking of some way to tilt the odds in her favor. "Oh!" she exclaimed remembering something she had seen on the CCTV a few weeks ago. "If you do this for me" she couldn't help her smile from growing "I'll be sure to tell Valerie how truly helpful you've been!" Jacks eyes instantly widened "How did you-?" he sputtered out. Jess couldn't help but laugh at his reaction "I run the computers" she tried to explain "I see everything." And with that she knew that she had him to cover for her, so she jumped up and grabbed an earpiece "And besides," she added for both their benefits "if worse comes to worse. I'll bring the ear piece with me and if you need me for something just give a shout and I'll come back!". Earpiece in hand she took off towards a cross way in the halls she thought Emily would be taking to get to Matt.

Turning the corner she nearly collided with Abby whose head was down in deep thought. The blonde grabbed Jess to steady her, looking at her quizzically "Jess? I was just on my way to see you about the animal reports-what are you doing here?" Jess told Abby she just had to go tell Emily something and that she'd be right back. Abby smiled and said for Jess to tell Emily that she still had to show her how she put together such a wicked outfit. Jess agreed and was quickly on her way again. Halfway down the corridor she asked a solider if he'd seen Emily and he said that she was with Becker and Matt discussing the techniques she had used to hunt and track the raptor in her time. Ok, Jess thought 'this should be fun stealing her away from the boys!'. She thanked the soldier and decided to take a short cut to get to her destination.

Just then the alarms started blaring making Jess jump in surprise. 'of course it would be the very second I stepped away' she turned around to rush back to her desk when a second alarm rang and the building started going into lock-down. An anomaly was open...  
>and it was opened in the A.R.C.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for all who reviewed and added this story your alerts and what not! It really means a lot to me. And sorry for the delay.. I've been away from my computer this weekend. So without futher ado..here is the continuation of the story I hope you enjoy! I own nothing Primeval and it's characters do not belong to me.

ALSO NOTE: I'm trying to add a bit of Beckers P.O.V in this story as well. Let me know what you think of the update! :)

Jess had mere momnents to think about her next move. She did NOT want to be stuck in the hallways with God-knows-what running around. She was too far away to try to make it to the armory in time so she decided on the next best option. She hurried, and made her way closer to Connors lab thinking at least she could get some company during to lock-down. She cursed her heels for slowing her down and ducked into one of the unused lab rooms just in time for it to be sealed off.

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><p>Becker, Matt and Emily had been making their way to the Comm. center just before the alarms started to blare. They had to have Jess look up some more data on Spring Hill Jack and the type of weaponry Emily had been using. Becker knew that he'd been stand-offish with Jess in the past couple of weeks, but he was not completely avoiding her but he knew he'd have to do some quick work so she did not hate him. Maybe another chocolate bar was in order. He had to admit to himself that he'd grown fond of the girl and that in itself was the reason to keep her at arm's length. The closer you got to someone, he reasoned, the harder it was to stay focused on matters at hand.<p>

As they made their way to Jess' desk, Matt and Emily discussing whether she would stay in the ARC or finally just board with Matt, Becker was scrutinizing the back of the car in front of all those computer screens. Something was off…and then the chair spun around. Becker's eyebrows shooting up were the only tell that he had been surprised by the revelation of who was sitting in the chair…but _that was most definitely NOT Miss. Parker._

Becker was immediately at attention, arms crossed looking down at the poor defenseless tech that was currently occupying Jess's seat. Not just anybody got permission to sit at her desk. Becker had one time used her screens to look at footage of Ethan setting the bomb and she just fluttered around him, he could tell she was desperately trying not to back-seat navigate him on her computer. And he must admit he got some twisted joy in dragging it out as long as he possibly could until she rolled her eyes, leaned over and started typing in sync with him. And in the moment, amid all the chaos in their life things fit for a brief moment. So whoever this was in Jess' seat even if she allowed him, in Becker's mind he did NOT belong.

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><p>'<em>Great!<em>' _Jess thought 'Now I'm all alone with something or some__**one **__loose in the Arc. And I'm not even able to see my screens to know what's going on'._ She had to admit this was a tense situation and she swore to herself that she would never think of her computers as boring ever again, they were her babies, and they gave her a feeling of control on the situations.

As she looked around the room she realized if she did not find the light switch soon, she would remain in the dark both figuratively and literally. That thought did not really sit well with her and she squeezed her eyes closed tight and took a deep breath, 'ok' she tried to reassure herself 'you can do this, just calm down'. She clenched her first in determination and felt what she had completely forgotten about – her earpiece. She couldn't help it she beamed. She wouldn't be completely cut off! She slipped it in her ear and was greeted with a conversation already in progress

"-ease report in, I repeat, Miss. Parker this is Jack Donaldson at the comm. We are having issues with the cameras; please report in your whereabouts." She could detect a hint of worry in his voice, and Jess couldn't help but feel bad. She too had felt the gut-wrenching fear of not knowing where your people where. "Don't worry Jack" she said "I'm here, how's everyone else?" "Everyone seems to be reporting in ma'am, and where are you in the building?" Jack responded again with a hint of fear in his voice. Jess felt the need to reassure him so in a lighter tone she said, "I'm on the 5th floor near the area where Con's at" she continued on just glad to be able to talk to someone in the dark "Just me myself and this creepy dark lab, this is why I shouldn't be allowed to leave my desk things-"she got cut off by a more impatient voice that most certainly was not Jack's

"Then WHY did you leave your post Jessica, this is your job is it not?" Jess felt like a small child being scolded for going outside without permission. Whenever he used her first name and especially with that tone, she felt the need to shrink back a bit. But now, coupled with how things had cooled down to an almost complete stop between them, it just angered her.

"I'm ALLOWED to leave my station if I get someone who is qualified to fill in for a few minutes cover for me, so stop having some hissy fit alright?" She did not know what it was about Becker that got her so riled up, she could never be normal around him. Her emotions were always on the extreme. And here she was pacing back in forth in a dark lab, yelling at his on an open line of communication. Who knew who else could be listening in on this line? But not even that could quell her anger "What is the worst that could happen while I'm basically locked in some dark-OWWW!" She stopped mid-sentence and cried out in pain and she felt around for something sturdy to sit or lean on.

"You ok Jess?" Abby's voice crackled through the earpiece in the silence that had taken over since her outburst.

"Yeah, I just cut my foot on something in here" Jess hissed through clenched teeth in pain. She rubbed her foot and her hand came away with a wet substance-blood. "I think it's just a small cut, it's bleeding but I'm sure I'll be fine". All-the-while as she was talking she was not aware of the bug the size of a baby's fist scuttling away from her in the dark.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey everyone! So I go from not updating for days to updating twice in one day! However I REALLY wanted to get this completed before episode 5.04 actually airs. I really like were this is going and even though I find it super hard to write for Becker I think it's moving along nicely. This is probably the second to last chapter...so we shall see how it goes.

NOTE: I do not own Primeval nor it's characters, this was done purely for fun.

Reviews and questions are MORE then welcome!:D

So without further waiting!...

**YOU ARE THE RISK I'LL ALWAYS TAKE**

**Chapter 3**

"Hey Guys" Jess said as she found a chair to sit down on. It started to feel warmer in the room, but she just assumed something was up with the heating and cooling with the lock-down. "Two quick questions: one, why aren't the lights and the air working, and what exactly came through the anomaly?" Normally it would be her answering these questions and as she felt a wave of nausea sweep over and a shiver run down her spine she swore she would kiss her screens next time she was at the hub.

"Apparently, we're losing power throughout the ARC" Abby tried to be reassuring but she herself was freaking out. Jack had been able to locate the anomaly opening and it was in Connors lab...nearby Jess. And Connor had yet to make an appearance. "Jacks trying to pull up the CCTV and see if we're able to get a clear path to you."

It did not go unnoticed to Jess that no one answered her question about what came through the anomaly and her head began to spin. Something was wrong, and it wasn't just her fears getting the best of her. Her body was shivering and she had a cold sweat throughout. What was going on?

"Becker..." Jess couldn't help the whimper that crept into her voice "What is it?" There was a silence that followed and Jess could just picture what the Captain was prepping to say it was going to be some awful creature that had a specific taste for something like Jess. Her heart started to race and she couldn't help it pulling on her pig tails she bit her lip to refrain from crying.

"We...we don't know yet" Becker said. Resigning himself to the fact that the situation was very much out of his hands.

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><p>The others could see the flicker of anger that was on Becker's face when the cameras kept flicking on and off. He blamed Jack. Plain and simple. Poor bloke had truly done nothing wrong, other then sitting in Jess' chair. And in return he was met with all of Becker's worries, turned anxieties turned anger.<p>

The ARC was supposed to be the SAFE place, free from incursion...for the most part. And if he were perfectly honest with himself it was a reassurance to him that when he was out in the field he could fully rely on two things. The first of which was that Jess would be their coordinator, guiding them through their mission. The second was pretty much an addition to the first, and that was, when Jess was guiding them, she could do it from the safety of the hub.

However, now she had left her chair and was in danger in the one place where she should not be in such. His glare automatically intensified on Jack.

"Oh yes," Matt said cheekily "glare harder Becker, that will fix everything". He knew that Matt was just trying to lighten the mood and pull Becker's chain, and it worked. But before he could bite off a scathing retort Abby placed a hand on his arm.

"It's OK, we're all worried."

Just then Connor and Phillip walked over to the Hub apparently using Phillips override code to open specific doors to get to the team. The guilty look on Connors face spoke volumes and Abby greeted him with a relieved hug. But she still knew something was up and she pulled back looked at his face and whispered "Oh, Connor, what have you done?"

"Anomaly opened in the lab and a massive creature incursion took place" Connor explained to everyone, carefully leaving out the man-made aspect of it all.

"Yes," Phillip cut in quickly before anything else could be said "We will have to deal with this quickly. One man was already taken down and I've had an evacuation set up for those not valuable to this mission"

Becker couldn't help but tense at the iciness of Phillip. That coupled with the fact that they knew the anomaly was near Jess made his get straight to the point "What came through?" He ground out the words, trying to keep his temper in check.

"Beetles, man" Connor who was obviously shaken by the whole ordeal started talking before Phillip could. "There were LOADS of them"

"We assume they are from the future" Phillip said coolly "And they've taken to the halls and ventilation system around the lab" He gave an icy glare to each of the team members before continuing on "If we do not have more control on this situation in 20 minutes time, I've given the go ahead to incinerate the building to take them all out." And with that Phillip turned on his heals and stalked off to Lester's office to deliver the shocking news.

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><p>The team stood shell-shocked as a grave silence fell over them as they contemplated the ramifications of Phillips threat. And at that moment Becker noticed something horrifying... They had no communication with Jess ever since Connor and Phillip entered the room. And then a gut-wrenching scream tore through the ear pieces.<p>

Meanwhile, Jess sat in the dark her breathing labored and her head spinning. The fact that the walls, halls and probably the ceiling above her could be crawling with futuristic bugs made her want to just crawl into a hole and disappear. She pictured bugs the size of basketballs munching through the walls waiting to eat her.

She pictured that burrowing thing that almost took Connor away from them, snatching her up. Her heat was, if it was even possible, beating faster and she felt another pang shoot up her leg from her foot. She lay on the table near her and looked around with her glassy eyes and she saw things in front of her just morph into twisted creatures and horrifying monsters. Something was wrong, she knew it but she couldn't focus. She was loosing her mind as more things stalked there way towards her she just started screaming.

Jack had been evacuated with the other personnel and Connor tried desperately to get the camera feed back up and when he did they saw Jess sprawled out on a table sweat pouring down her face and her just screaming at nothing. And then she started to gasp..she was taking quick shallow breaths and she looked around the room fervently.

"Becker..." she gasped through the comm "Please, just come get me" and the tears began to flow freely at this point "I'm sorry I got angry". She slowly lay back on the table she felt her throat start to constrict "Somethings wrong... can't...breath." she gasped between each word.

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><p>That was all that was needed for Becker to spring into motion. "Abby you take over the comm for Connor" Abby did so as Connor got up quickly, they both knew the tone in which Becker was speaking, was not one to be messed with. "Connor, Matt and Emily since my men have been sent off I'm going to take you three with me" He went on the explain how Connor and Matt would flank the sides clearing the path so him and Emily could make sure Jess was fully alright. Abby would be the birds eye view giving them updates along the way.<p>

"Jess" Becker prompted to no response "Jess-listen to me OK?" He himself heard the worry in his voice but did not care at the moment

"I don't want to die" he heard her wheeze out.

"No Jess, I'm coming, I want you to just relax and try to take some breaths OK? You're doing brilliantly...I'm on my way" He signaled for everyone to move out.

It was one of the most focused he had been on a mission in ages. The time limit, Jess' life on the line all made his focus laser-like. He did not know how he would deal with himself if he lost someone else he had cared about. Especially Jess, who had made her feelings so known and he repaid her by pushing her away. He decided right then and there as he shot he EMD at the creepy crawlies that he would make it up to her somehow.

"Jess, I will buy you all the chocolate you want when we get out of this OK?" he whispered in the earpiece, even though he knew everyone could hear him. They did not acknowledge it until Abby's urgent voice called out "Hurry, she just went limp on the table-GUYS HURRY NOW!"

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><p>.Continued... :)<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: AAAAAAAAH ! Last chapter and I got it up before the episode aired. That was my deadline so sorry if it feels sort of rushed. I want to take this time to thank everyone who has taken the time to read, review, add to favorite & alerts my story. That truly means a lot and I really thank you. This was my first multi-chapter story so sorry if it's a little wonky. I'll make more stories in the future but unitl then enjoy the finale entry into You Are the Risk I'll Always Take!

NOTE: I don't own Primeval nor any of its characters.

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><p><strong>You Are The Risk I'll Always Take<strong>

**Chapter 4**

Jess slowly came to, and was just generally uncomfortable in her bed. She always hated it when she woke up feeling worse for ware then when she went to bed. That nightmare last night about the bugs everywhere really threw her for a loop, she had not had a nightmare of that proportion for YEARS...maybe she should cut back on the chocolate. She ached all over and there was an incessant beeping noise that was slowly driving her mad, her head was killing her and she refused to open up her eyes. Even with her eyes closed she could feel a horribly bright light above her. And something was stinging her arm with the burning of a thousand suns. She was exhausted but still made the effort to wipe off her arm and get whatever it was off of her. Another hand clamped over hers and pulled it away from her arm.

"I don't think so" said the voice that made Jess' eyes shoot open wide. That was Becker. And as her eyes strained to focus on the currently blurry room, she rolled over and was greeted with the sight she never in a million years thought she would see. A disheveled Becker, sitting by her bedside...scratch that..sitting by her HOSPITAL bed. What was she doing in a hospital? She made to sit up quickly and the room apparently decided to take a quick spin. Becker was quick on his feet and firmly, but gently pushed her back down onto her pillows. "You need to take it easy, Jess" he frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair and gave an exasperated sigh.

'what did I do wrong?' Jess thought 'He seems so angry at me.' She looked away from his piercing gaze, feeling like he was just holding back from yelling at her for something she completely forgot she did. She closed her eyes for what she thought was only a moment.

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><p>"Why am I here?" Jess asked, her voice cracking from un-use and apprehension.<p>

"Jess! You're awake!" Abby's voice brought Jess back again and she turned over to see  
>Abby occupying the chair that Becker just moments ago, or so she thought, was sitting in. "Becker said you had woken up, but that was hours ago, and I was beginning to think he himself was sleep deprived and saying things."<p>

"What happened?" Jess was so disoriented, she was just glad she had not dreamt up Becker by her bedside as well.

"Oh Jess, it was just awful" Abby said eyes penetrating hers "You were just lying there on the table, not moving and nobody knew what was wrong!"Jess could see Abby thinking back on what had happened and saw the anxiety on her face once more.

"Remember when you thought you had cut your foot in the dark room, yeah?" Abby said as Jess ' eyes widened in realization...that wasn't a dream "One of the bugs bit you, and you had a _bad _reaction." Abby paused as if questioning with herself to go on with telling Jess what happened "Your throat closed and your pulse was so weak and thready we weren't sure you'd be OK" Abby reached out and gripped Jess' hand almost like she was reassuring herself that the young field coordinator was really OK.

"So...that's why Becker's so mad at me?" Jess said, worried etched in her face. Was he angry that she had done something silly and ended up putting everyone else in danger?

"Oh Jess! If Becker is mad at ANYONE he's mad at himself...and definitely Phillip" Abby said the second name with such disgust and Jess vaguely remembered something with the Anomaly and Phillip, but she'd have to rack her memory when it wasn't all just plain fuzzy. But she still could not phatom why Becker would be mad at _himself_ so she asked Abby that very question.

"Oh, Jess" Abby said a small knowing smile creeping on her face. "He felt like he wasted time, time getting to you, time getting you help...and time just being with you." As she continued her smile grew from knowing to just plain mischievous. "Between us girls, I'll have you know that he was making you all kinds of promises if you'd just be alright again, and he didn't leave your bed side for DAYS."

"Wait" Jess was suddenly at attention "Did you just say days?" She wasn't asking about Becker or that he'd stood vigil at her bedside it was the fact that she had lost DAYS of her life and it hadn't even register with her. _Oh lord, _she could just imagine all the back log of work that she had to do at the ARC and she probably looked like a complete loon with her bed head and Becker had been there to look at her...And...Becker had been there. She felt the reassurance grow that when she was completely gone he was watching over her, protecting her. Even if he didn't return her type of feelings, he still had some for her. And that was strangely enough for her.

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><p>"Oh yes," Abby said thinking Jess was talking about Becker being there not the amount of time in the hospital "The only reason I'm here now and NOT him is that Lester threatened to lock up all the <em>real <em>guns in the armory and not let him have to correct code if he did not go get some rest and clean up." And just like some magical genie there was a knock on the door and disheveled Becker was replaced by clean cut, albeit civilian clothed Becker. "Well I think that's my cue to go find Connor and make sure he's not causing anymore cataclysmic problems" Abby winked but before she fully got up she leaned down and whispered in Jess' ear "Make sure to ask him about the promises he made" And with that she walked out the door patting Becker on the door whispering something else to him as well making his eyebrows jump up.

Jess sat perfectly still watching as Becker made his way over to the chair next to her. She didn't know what to do, if the dream she had was in fact reality she had cried out to Becker to save her shortly after ripping into him about her ability to take care of her own responsibilities. And that coupled with what Abby said he was the one who had saved her life. Things were a little bit, no, greatly, on the awkward side.

As Becker sat down he just stared at Jess which unnerved her a bit. She needed to do something, she couldn't help it, when she was nervous she just babbled away. "So..I hear you made me some promises?"

And just like that it was as if Becker deflated and he dropped his head into his hands slowly shaking it back and forth. "You have no idea Jessica" he said so low that she had to strain to hear his words. He'd called her Jessica again, but this time it help a different tone, that she couldn't place, but it definitely was not scolding. That was improvement..she thought. But her emotions were all over the place, she blamed the hospital environment.

"Thank you for saving me" she tentatively reached out a hand and touched his knee, he stiffened at the touch."I'm sorry that I made you put yourself and everyone else at risk" she finished, tears welling in her eyes as she pulled her hand back slowly. He reached out and pulled her hand back and clasped it in both of his hands tightly. He eyes flew from his hands to his face and back again. His eyes shone with something akin the determination and she could not, even if she wanted to look away.

"Miss Jessica Parker" He started to get up off the chair and lean down to he was mere inches away from her face "I am letting you know that my heart stopped when I saw you lying there, practically dead on the table, my rules have kept me at a distance from most things and that included you" He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. She was pretty sure her breathing had completely stopped and if the erratic beating on the heart monitor was any indication her heart was racing with the speed of light. Becker must have heard it too because a barely-there smile played on his lips. "But know, that I would never forgive myself if I let anything happen to you without you knowing that I do care, and that is a horrifying thing to admit." He pulled back and looked into her eyes and told her with as much seriousness as he could muster "I give up Jess...I give up." and as he gently cupped her face bringing her as close to him as possible he whispered "You are a risk I'll always take" as he captured her mouth with his own.

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><p>FIN! :)<p>

Let me know what you think


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